As we enter into the last weeks of this election season, I wanted to take a few moments to refocus the citizens of Turlock on the truth rather than some of the misperceptions and half-truths that have been put out in campaign materials and editorial comments.

At last month's California gubernatorial debate, Republican hopeful Neel Kashkari praised Gov. Jerry Brown and Attorney General Kamala Harris for using their discretion not to appeal a court ruling that overturned the state's same-sex marriage ban. Kashkari then chided both Democrats for failing to use that same discretion when they appealed the Vergara v. California court decision. The suit is named after Beatriz Vergara, one of nine students who sued to eliminate the state's teacher tenure system.

"He is anti-roads." "He is anti-tax." "He is too Republican." All are false claims that will be waged against my campaign for mayor of Turlock because of my current criticism of Measure B, a proposed half-cent sales tax for the next seven years to fund Turlock road improvements.

Getting in the room to see the doctor is the hardest part. That is what I hear most often from the tens of thousands of Central Valley veterans. Long wait times for appointments and lengthy commutes prevent them from accessing the care that they have earned through their service. In Turlock, a veteran looking for specialty care faces a 90 mile journey to the nearest full service Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Palo Alto. This trip is especially difficult for elderly veterans or those with limited financial resources.